OISC Issues Temporary Regulatory Compliance Guidance In Response To Issues Resulting From The Current COVID-19 Pandemic

West Lafayette, IN (March 19, 2020) – Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) is releasing new temporary guidance regarding compliance with state pesticide and fertilizer regulatory requirements in Indiana, in consideration of the disruptions to normal operations that are being caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following temporary modifications are being implemented immediately, but may be subject to change, as the COVID-19 issues continue to evolve.

1. All pesticide and fertilizer applicator certification training and examining sessions scheduled at Purdue University through May 17, 2020 have been cancelled.
2. Group training and examining sessions at Purdue, scheduled to occur after May 17, 2020, may also be subject to cancellation. However, for now these sessions are being evaluated on a week-to-week basis, in the event that current guidance regarding COVID-19 changes.
3. Self-study and individual examination at an Ivy Tech Examination Center is still an option to training and examining at Purdue. However, this option may also soon be unavailable, as over half of the testing locations have already shut down operations.
4. Pesticide applicators using or supervising the use of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) during 2020 must be certified and licensed, just as has been required previously. U.S. EPA has not suspended or modified this legal requirement, therefore, OISC will not either.
5. OISC will suspend the Registered Technician requirements for pesticide and fertilizer applicators operating under the supervision of a certified applicator when using only General Use Pesticides (GUPs). The requirement to pass the Core exam and apply for a Registered Technician credential will be suspended through December 31, 2020, unless another date is determined to be necessary by legal counsel.
6. All supervision requirements for noncertified applicators and registered technicians will remain in place. But new technicians will not be required to obtain a credential, as long as the current situation exists.
7. Nothing in this temporary regulatory guidance shall exempt any applicator from complying with all other existing requirements, such as using a pesticide in a manner consistent with the product label directions.

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